Freeness tester



Oct. 20, 1931 F. WILLIAMS 'FREENESS TESTER Filed May 11. 1927 1?Sheets-Sheet l fizz/enter Ji /m Vllz'am Oct. 20, 1!?31. F. M. WILLIAMS1,828,210

FREENES S TESTER Filed May 11. 1927 ZSheets-Sheet 2 2w f T49 I 4 a v 2-.

16 Ti I a Y inherent character Patented Oct. '20, 1931 Y FRANK H.WILLIAMS, OF WA TEBTQWN', NEW-YORK FBEEIN'ESS TESTER,

lpplicationlfilcd Kay 11, 1927. Serial No. 190,524.

to freer less testers or facility with which This invention relatesmeans for determining the pulp or paper 7 will deliver the major portionof its waters of suspension through a strainer or sieve.

The words freeness and slowness are well known terms in the paperindustry as indicating the readiness with which the water in which thepulp fibers are suspended may be extracted from fiber in passing overthe wire or screen ofthe paper making machine.

' One of the first operations in the formation of sheet paper upon apaper machine 1s to cause the paper stock or fi rs in water suspensiontoflow onto an endless belt of w re or against a revolving cylindercovered with wire, the function of both of these being toallow thefibers to felt or mat together to -form a web, from which a furtheramount of water is removed. by suction and pressure rolls to such apoint that the webof paper has "sufiicient strength tobe picked up ortrans ferred to a felt or endless belt of wool. This endless belt guidesand supports the web tosubsequent pressing and finishing rolls, afterwhich the web is caused to pass over steam heated drying cylinders whichcontinue to remove water until the desired degree of moisture isobtained in the finished sheet.

Inthe making of paper, the freeness, or the .rate at which the ulp willdischarge the water in which the bers are'suspended as it moves over thepaper making machine is one of the most important factors governing thenature or-condition of the paper produced, the speed at which themachine may be run, rate of drying, and the consequent consumption ofsteam required to bring the finished paper to the desired degree ofdryness' The freeness is dependent upon a number 0 factors, includingthe length and character of the fibers, the consistency or proportion ofthe fibers in the suspendin water, the relative proportions of mixed firs or fibers of different kinds orcharacter, and-to a greater or lessextent, the temperature of the water. These factors are governed by thekind or of the pulp, and in the caseof wood pulps, by the kind,character or extent of grinding,- or in the case of chemical stock insuspension in water ratus be at hand for determining this paper makingmachine.

f Further, by

wood pulp by thenature of the cooking or preparation thereof; by theextent and character of the bea'tin of the pulp in the heaters, andalso'by a su% various stages of refining, and other devices; by theamount beaters, ordans' and character of materialsintroduced into thepulp in i the process of paper making.

In view of the above, it is most desirablethat a ready andpractical-means and appafree ness or slowness of pulp or paper therebyenabling the operator ofthe' paper machine to determine the correct pulpand}. paper stock for delivery to the machine to produce the kind andcharacter of paper'he is producing and -to insure uniform, andconseqillently' most economical o eration of his masequent treatment inthe c ine, both on the basis 0 quality and quanv tity and also limitingthe unnecessary waste of steam in dryingv'and further minimizing vthetendency of the web of formed'paper to break while passing through therolls of the everal methods have been devised for the measurement offreeness of pulp and paper stock. Inasmuch as freeness may be defined asthe rateof flow through a screen, of water containing fibers insuspension, one method is the measurement by a stop watch of the timerequired for a given volume of water to be strained out from a givenvolume of a sample of known or predetermined consistency.

difficult of obtaining the exact timing of this flo by means of a stopwatch as by this method the time of the starting and stopping of theflow must be very accurately observed in order that the results may beof any value. merely pouring the sample onto a screen through which thedischarge is to be timed, unless suitable provision is made by Theobjection to this methodis the and partially vi e a foot. valve 13adapted vision of a strainer bowl adapted to receive a predeterminedquantity of sample, in which actual operation of straining shall notbegin until desired by the operator so that conditions as to pressure onthe liquid striking the screen or as to the amount of liquid strikingthe screen at the start of'the straining operation may be duplicated insuccessive tests.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view, partially in elevation and partiall in verticalcross section, of a device embo ying the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the scale or indicatingportion of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view, partially in elevation in vertical cross-section, ofa slightly modified form.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross'sectional view of the sample container ofFigures 1 and 3, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the strainer plate andvalve of Figure 4 on a still further enlarged scale.

Figure 6 is a View, partially in elevation and partially in verticalcross-section, of the valve actuator of Fig. 4.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary'vertical crosssectional view of a modifiedformof discharge outlets wherein the bore of the discharge outlets maybe changed.

The device of the present invention, generally stated, embodies meansfor receiving and holding a predetermined quantity of sample to betested until such time as the operator desires to the receptacle to makehis tests, a strainer through whichthe waters of suspension. aredischarged, a receptacle or container into which the discharged waterspass, and means for receiving and measuring a portion of suchdischarged. waters, the volume of such portion being indicative of thefreeness or slowness of the pulp.

The numeral 10 designates a container of suitable size and material andadapted to receive a predetermined quantity or sample of pulp to betested. The liquid contents of the container 10 are discharged into adischarge container 11 by passing through a screen 12 interposedtherebetween. For the purpose of preventing discharge of any-of thewater in container 10 until all of the sample to be tested has beenreceived therein, and until agitation of the sample due to pourin itinto the container has ceased, I pro to close communication betweencontainers 10 and 11. As shown, this foot valve 13 is preferably a diskof slightly less diameter than the passage in which it works and hasseating portions 14 adapted to contact with a valve container 10. Whenthe valve 13 is open as shown in Figure 4, the discharged waters flowover valve 13 and down the sides thereof, thence down the sides ofcontainer 11.

start the discharge through to the waste.

seat 15 of- 16 and 17 designate guiding and supporting lugs or feet onvalve 13.

The valve 13 is operated by suitable means, as for example, the rockshaft 18 journaled in side walls of container 11 and provided with anoffset portion 19 for engaging a portion of the valve 13 and when therock shaft is turned raising or lowering valve 13. 2O designates ahandle for permitting actuation of the rock shaft.

The container 11 is provided with an air vent 21- (shown in Figure 4).This air vent preferably opens to the interior of container 11 below andadjacent to valve 13 whereby none of the discharging waters reach itsopen end.

Container 11 is preferably provided with a pair of outlets-22 and 23,the outlet 22 communicating with a waste pipe, as will be more fullydescribed hereinafter, and the outlet 23 leading to the measuring orindicating means.

The duration of the testing period may be defined as the time elapsingbetween the starting of the discharge or flow through the screen untilsuch a time as theflow has become so reduced that the waste outlet 22 isadequate to take care of the drainage or drip from the screen above, atwhich time water will cease to flow out through the outlet 23 leading tothe indicating means. It is, therefore, necessary to either place thetwo outlet nipples at unequal heights or else to so select and divertthe slow flow of water down the sides of the receiving vessel that noneof this shall pass through the. outlet 23 leading to the indicatingdevice. I preferinstead of placing these outlets at diiferent heights toplace both outlets at the same level or height in the bottom of thecontainer 11 but by means of a series of rings forming deflectors orselectors the slow flow of water down the side walls of the container isentirely diverted through the small waste outlet 22 and is allowed topass By a suitable arrangement of these rings set up in the bottom ofthe receptacle so that each shall have a predetermined capacity for agiven volume of water, it is possible to establish practically aconstant ratio between the amount of pure water added or passed throughthe instrument as a blank test and the water delivered and measured andthis ratio to hold substantially constant for both large and smallquantities of water added thereby giving practically a straight linestandardization curve under conditions of test of different volumes.

Therefore, I provide an inner ring or deflector 24 surrounding the mouthof outlet 23 and an outer ring or deflector 25 surrounding the innerdeflector 24 and so located that outlet 22 opens into the annular spacedefined by "eflectors 24c and 25. Thus, when the valve 13 is opened, thedischarging able bushings of waters flow down the inner sides of container 11 and pass out through outlet 22 to the waste until thedischarge through the screen becomes of volume greater than can bedischarged through outlet 22,'thereupon the waters of discharge buildingup in the bottom of container 11 pass over deflector ring 24 anddischarge is effected through both outlets22 and 23. As soon as thedischarge through the, screen 12 has diminished to a point where .theoutlet 22 is sufficient to take care of the flow, the discharging waterscease to pass over deflector 24 and the test is complete.

The several features of containers, and discharge outlets are common toseveral forms of devices illustrated, but I have shown modified forms ofthe measuring or indicating means.

In Figure 1, waste outlet 22 communicates with a waste pipe 26 which maylead to a sewer or other point of discharge. This waste pipe 26 extendsthrough a cylinder 27 attached to container 11 and cylinder 27 and thedevice is mounted on its support, (a table bench or the like) by meansof standard or plate28. The measuring outlet 23 communicates with theinterior of cylinder 27 which is adapted to receive the water dischargedthrough outlet 23. 29 designates a fioat controlling an indicatingfinger 30 having a pointer 31 cooperating with a scale 32 on theexterior of cylinder 27. The pointer 31 indicates on. scale 32 the levelor amount of the liquid discharged by outlet 23 into cylinder 27.

.33 designates a valve and 34 a discharge pipe for discharging themeasured liquid from cylinder 27 after the test has been made.

In the form shown in Figure 3, 26 designates the waste pipe extendingthrough cylinder 27- and in communication with outlet 22 and dischargingto waste. 28 designates valve a standard for securing the device on atable or bench. 35. designates-a partition in cylinder 27 whereby; thewaters discharging through outlet 23 are diverted out of the cylinderthrough pipe 36 thence discharging into a measuring jar or container 37.

Figure 7 illustrates the means for adjust ing or varying therelationship or proportion between the discharge outlets. As shown thesemeans may be athreaded bushing 38 of different ,bore than outlet 22 andthreaded into said outlet while 39 designates a bushing for outlet 23.By means of these removdifierent bore from the outlets they govern thedischarge through the respective openings and the relationshiptherebetween may be varied as is necessary or desirable. v

The device is designed to be small, compact and readily portable and maybe set up or disassembled with ordinary tools and at no expense.

the

The container 10 is preferably provided as shown with external screwthreads 40 engaging a threadedportion 41 of container 11. The outlets 22and 23 are positioned in a bottom' block 42 for container 11 and theupper end of cylinder 27 embraces this bottom block and is held inposition therewith by a set screw 43 as in Fig. 1 or 43' as in Fig. 3,thus providing a device that may be readily packed and shipped andeasily assembled and occupies small space.

I claim:

1. In a device for determining the freeness of paper pulp, thecombination of a container for a sample of pulp to be tested, a screenthrough which suspending waters are discharged from said container, acontainer for receiving the waters discharged from said screen, meansfor directing the discharged waters from said screen down the sides ofsaid second container, said second containerbeing formed with aplurality of outlets in the bottom thereof, the mouths of said outletsbeing at the same height in said second container, an annular wallextending upwardly in said second container between said outlets andabove the bottom thereof and surrounding one of said outlets andseparating the opening thereof from another of said outlets whereby thewaters discharged down the sides of said second container are directedfirst to one of said outlets, a waste pipe, said outlet being adapted tobe placed in communication with said waste pipe, and receiving andmeasuring means in communica ion with said other outlet.

2. In a portable device for determining the freeness of paper pulp, acontainer for receiving and holding a sample of pulp to be tested, asecond container detachably connected to said first container andadapted to receive the waters discharged from said first container, ascreen interposed between said first and second containers, tainerhaving a botto said bottom being formed with a pair f outlets, acylinder member detachably conne'cted to said second container and.extending container, a waste pipe in said cylinder, and

having an end extending out of said cylinder, the other end of saidwaste pipe being adapted to communicate with one of said outlets forreceiving waters discharged therethrough, and means in said cylinder fordire'cting the waters discharged through said other outlet to-ameasuring device.

3. In a portable device for determining the freeness of paper pulp, acontainer for receiving and holding a sample of pulp to be tested, asecond container detachably connected to said first container andadapted to receive the waters discharged from said first contain'er, ascreen interposed between said first and second containers, said secondcontainer having a bottom, said bottom being said second conbelow saidsecondfo'rmed with a pair of outlets, a cylinder member detachablyconnected to said second container and extending below said secondcontainer, a waste pipe in said cylinder and having an end extending outof said cylinder, the other end of said waste pipe being adapted tocommunicate with one of said outlets for receiving waters dischargedtherethrough, and means in said cylinder for directing the watersdischarged through said other outlet to a measuring device, and a valvein the passage between said first and second container and adapted toclose the passage between said first and second container.

4. In a ortable device for determining the freeness oi paper pulp, acontainer for receiving and holding a sample of pulp to be tested, asecond container detachably 'connected to said first container andadapted to receive the waters discharged from said first container, ascreen interposed between said first and se'cond containers, said secondcontainer having a bottom, said bottom being formed with a pair ofoutlets, a cylinder member detachably connected to said second containerand extending below said second container, a waste pipe in saidcylinder, and

having an end extending out of said cylinder, the other end of saidwaste pipe bein adapted to communicate with one of sai outlets forre'ceiving waters discharged therethrough, means in said cylinder fordirecting the waters dischargedthrough said other outlet to a measuringdevice, and a valve in the upper part of said second container, saidvalve having an actuating member journalled at the sides of said secondcontainer, said valve being adapted to close the passage between saidfirst and second containers.

5. In a device for determining the freeness of paper pulp, thecombination of a casing, a screen arranged horizontally in said casingand dividing the interior thereof into upper and lower containers, avalve seat arranged adjacent to said screen, an axially movable valvemember mounted for cooperation with said seat and adapted to controlcommunication between saidcontainers, said lower container having abottom provided with a continuous wall spaced from the walls of saidcontainer, a passageway communicating with the space within saidcontinuous Wall and another passageway communicating with the spacewithout said wall, and means for varying the relative cross sectionalareas of said passageways.

6. In a device for determining the freeness of paper pulp, thecombination of means for holding a sample of pulp to be tested, meansfor straining the liquiddischarged from said sample, means for receivingthe discharged liquid from said sample, a waste pipe, said receivingmeans being formed with an orifice for directing a predetermined flow ofsaid discharged liquid to said waste pipe to be dis 'charged to waste,said waste ipe being in fluid communication with said orifice, and meansfor receiving and holding the portion of said discharged liquid inexcess of the capacity of said orifice, said device being adapted to bemounted as a unit on a table or the like.

7. Apparatus for determining the freeness of paper pulp comprising acontainer adapted to receive a quantity of pulp to be tested, a screenforming a perforated wall for said container, a second containerdisposed adjacent the screen and adapted to receive water dischargedtherethrough, said second container being formed with a plurality ofopenings adapted to permit of the discharge of water therethrough, saiddischarge openings terminating in the same plane in said secondcontainer, means for directing a predetermined flow of water into one ofsaid openings and any excess flow thereover into the other of saidopenings when the total flow exceeds said predetermined flow, and areceiving vessel in communication with said other opening for receivingand measuring the water discharged therethrough.

8. In a device for determining the freeness of paper pulp, thecombination of a container for a sample of pulp to be tested, a screenthrough which suspending waters for the pulp are discharged from saidcontainer, a second container for receiving the discharged waters fromthe screen, said second container being formed with two outlets havingdifferent cross-sectional areas, means for directing and confining theflow of discharged waters to and through one of said outlets and awayfrom the other of said outlets during such dis char e withinpredetermined limits of flow, and through said other outlet when saidflow is in excess of said predetermined flow, measuring means incommunication with the other of said outlets for receiving and measuringthe waters discharged through said other outlet when the total flowexceeds the predetermined fiow, and removable bushings for said outletshaving passageways therethrough of different cross-sectional areas.

9. Apparatus for determining the freeness of paper pulp comprising acontainer adapted to receive a quantity of pulp to be tested, a screenforming a perforated wall for said container, a second containerdisposed adjacent said screen and adapted to receive water dischargedtherethrough, said second container being formed with a pair of spaceddischarge openings at the bottom thereof, an upstanding wall surroundingsaid openings, a second upstanding wall surrounding one of saidopenings, said walls terminating at the same level, and a receivingvessel in communication with saidlast named opening.

10. Apparatus for determining the freeness one opening being disposedwithin the wall encircling the other of said openings, whereby water isdischarged preferentially through one of said openings and is dischargedthrough the other of said openings only when the flow of water exceeds apredetermined value.

FRANK M. WILLIAMS.

